International control likely means more censorship.
By Robert Romano
WASHINGTON DC (Texas Insider Report) Internet administration has always guaranteed free speech and due process since it has been done by U.S. Government contractors who are required 
to follow the U.S. Constitution" said Shari Steele Staff Counsel at The Electronic Frontier Foundation. This is a truly dangerous proposal that would
send the Internet back toward the dark ages" said Robin Gross IP Justice founder. Thats not good.
This would mark a truly significant change in the overall power structure at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers (ICANN) that would dramatically empower national governments
(some democratic some authoritarian) over the management of
critical Internet resources" said Gross (right.)
And it is precisely the sort of thing groups have been warning about since ICANN landed its contract back in 1998. Could an Internet governance monopoly be trusted to a private entity?
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) was at the forefront criticizing the risks posed by the transfer to ICANN.
If the New IANA moves Internet administration out from under the U.S. Government as there is general agreement to do the public will lose these guarantees" Shari Steele Staff Counsel at EFF warned at the time.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) the non-profit government contractor currently responsible for administering the Internets critical domain name system has proposed a new change to its bylaws that would empower foreign governments in a way that not seen in the world-wide webs short life.
Currently despite being under a Commerce Department contract ICANN operates independently essentially running a global monopoly on the assignment of domain names and Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
Serving a partial oversight function in addition to the Commerce Department is ICANNs Government Advisory Committee composed of representatives from most every country in the world both democratic and authoritarian.
According to ICANNs website the committee provides advice to ICANN on public policy aspects of ICANNs responsibilities with regard to the Internet Domain Name System (DNS). The GAC is not a decision-making body."
Repeat by design the committee is not a decision-making body."
So it is curious and troubling to say the least that ICANN is proposing
a bylaws change that would make the committees advice" binding on ICANN unless two-thirds of ICANNs board disagrees.
This would fly in the face of the National Telecommunications and Information Administrations (NTIA) promise
when it announced the transition of Internet governance that it will not accept a proposal that replaces the NTIA role with a government-led or an inter-governmental organization solution."
In sum no 1st Amendment protections and potential control by foreign governments many of whom are authoritarian.
So why are we giving the Internet away? This is a recipe for censorship.
Therefore it is up to Congress to reassert its power to regulate in this area before Obama gives away the Internet to the international community at the expense of future generations vital freedom of expression.
Robert Romano is the Senior Editor of Americans for Limited Government.
